David Alopaeus

Privy Councillor Count Franz David Maximowitsch Alopaeus [ Alopeus ] (born 19 Dezemberjul / December 30 1769greg in Vyborg, Grand Duchy of Finland, .. † June 13, 1831 in Berlin) was a Russian diplomat.

Life

David was educated at the military school at Stuttgart and introduced by his older brother Maximilian of Alopaeus a diplomatic career. In 1792 he became secretary of the Russian Minister Rumyantsev in Frankfurt am Main.

In 1800, he joined the Russian ambassador to the Swedish court, where the young king Gustav IV taken on November 1, 1796, the affairs of his uncle and guardian Duke Charles of Södermanland and on December 16, 1800, donated by Russia neutrality the northern powers had joined. Meanwhile, had in 1802 in Russia Alexander I. ascended the throne, received the Gustav a trade alliance, together with Great Britain. The ratio Russia - Great Britain cooled noticeably. But the wayward Gustav came on February 8, 1808 in a closer alliance with Britain, unconcerned about the expected declaration of war Denmark and Russia; because the latter had in vain to separate him from the UK and move to close the Baltic Sea for British ships to the general Seefrieden sought.

As a native Finn Alopeus should now move to Gustav renunciation of Finland in favor of Russia, but did not succeed in this. When the Russians marched with 60,000 men in Finland, he was arrested by the Swedes. His papers were seized, according to which bribery attempts by Swedish military from Russia came to light.

After the conquest of Finland Alopeus was appointed to the Privy Council, then raised by his monarch the title of count. As his former boss Rumyantsev as Chancellor in 1809 in the Finnish harbor city of the Peace of Fredrikshamn with Sweden (Karl XIII. ) Closed, he was instrumental.

Finally he came in 1811 as an envoy to the Württemberg court in Stuttgart. Here he played among others a key role in mediating the inventor and designer Franz Leppich, which should build combat airship for the Tsar. In 1813 he became first commissioner general of the Confederate army. He was then ambassador in Berlin and Mecklenburg -Schwerin and held this post until his death 1831st